This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for supplying fiber material to a plurality of fiber processing machines, such as fiber storing devices, fiber cleaners, mixers and the like. A fiber bale opener removes fiber tufts from a plurality of fiber bales having at least two types of fibers. Predetermined partial quantities of the individual fiber types are successively taken from the fiber bales and are admitted to the associated fiber processing machines.
In a known process for operating a bale opener for fiber bales containing cotton fiber or chemical fiber or fiber waste and the like, a travelling fiber bale opener is used which has a carriage carrying a tower, which in turn, supports a horizontally projecting cantilever accommodating an opening device comprising, for example, a rapidly rotating toothed opening roller. The bale opener travels along the fiber bales and the opening device removes fiber tufts from the bale top. Frequently, different fiber types are processed and, for this purpose, two or more fiber bale groups, each comprising one or more fiber bales are positioned in a series. The bales within one group consist of one type of fiber material. Between the fiber bale groups there is provided an intermediate space which is void of fiber material. A separate fiber processing line, each formed of a plurality of serially arranged fiber processing machines is provided for each type of fiber material and is operatively connected with the bale opener. The fiber processing lines have, as a rule, different input requirements, or the fiber processing machines have a different storing capacity. Such fiber processing lines may involve the problem that they cannot take up excess fiber material from the bale opener beyond a certain limit. If, for example, in the processing of cotton A and chemical fibers B the two processing lines connected downstream of the bale opener require fiber material, first fiber material is removed from the fiber bale group A (in one pass of the bale opener) and thereafter fiber material from the group B is taken (during one pass) and thereafter again the group A is worked on. After a predetermined period, the material requirement of the fiber processing machines is satisfied. Dependent upon where the opening device is momentarily situated with respect to the bale series (that is, at the beginning, at the middle or at the end) there will be a continued delivery of some material amount since in the prior art arrangements the bale opener has to complete its pass once it has begun. On occasion, in an unfavorable case, when the opening device has just started a pass and no more fiber is needed, fiber material of the entire pass will still be delivered. The bale opener cannot discontinue fiber tuft removal from the bales in the course of the pass because otherwise steps would appear in the upper face of the fiber bales. Such step formations must be avoided for technological reasons. Thus, the fiber processing machines would need an excessively large material storing device which is capable of absorbing fiber material resulting from a complete pass. This circumstance, however, would, because of the need of undesired modifications, prevent the use of existing fiber processing machines in the above-described environment. Further, in case of a disproportionate bale arrangement, such as excessively large or excessively small quantities of one fiber type, may result in the disadvantage that the processing machines associated with the fiber type of small quantity is supplied only with an insufficient amount of fiber material.